`We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we're curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths `
--Walt Disney

Tuesday, 14 September 2010

Bornholm

I plan on living forever. So far, so good. ~Author Unknown

Hej!

I meant to update last week, but I kind of kept pushing it off until all of a sudden, it was this week. It’s scary how quickly tomorrow becomes yesterday.

So last weekend, September 2-5, my host family took me to this small island south of Sweden called Bornholm for a music festival, called Wonderfestiwall. We left Thursday morning and drove from Denmark to Sweden (in this awesome underwater tunnel, might I add), and then from Sweden we took a ferry to Bornholm, and it was really windy and the boat was rocking, and I’m not one to get motion sick, but I was mighty glad to be getting off that boat once we docked.

We drove to the place where the festival was taking place, but we were really early so Simone, her friend and I waited in line for two long, cold hours. It wasn’t so bad though because the festival was right next to this field with all of these crazy lambs that were baaing, and it was really cute.

I remembered that last year another outbound had told me that you can pet the sheep in Denmark, so I was all ready to hop the fence and go give it a big hug, but Simone said that it might get angry, so I just admired it from afar. And also near the camp site was this big castle that was super old, and falling apart. I didn’t get to see it up close, but even just seeing it from where I was, was cool.

Finally we were allowed in, and we went to set up our tent, which took a little longer than it maybe should have, but we got it and it didn’t fall apart, so I’d consider that a success. Simone, her friend and I stayed in the tent, and my host parents stayed in a nearby hotel, which made me think of my mom, who I’m sure would have done the same thing.

The evenings/nights we were at the festival, and in the morning and early afternoon we drove around Bornholm, which I’m pretty sure is waay smaller than Calgary. Each “town” was smaller than an average

neighborhood back home. It’s really cute though, and the buildings are all so colourful, and there’s water everywhere, and not like nasty swampy water, but really pretty blue ocean water. Too bad I was too bundles up in a scarf and jacket and whatnot to even think about swimming haha. And also there are these “mountain” cliffy things everywhere, that by Canadian standards are nothing more than a big rock, but in Denmark, aka the flattest country ever, things like that are pretty rare, so I was really excited to see them. We also went to see the only round church in Denmark, and from the top we had a really great view of the town! It was really cool!

We also went to this place where we ate fresh smoked fish. Yes mom and dad, you read right, your daughter is willingly eating fish. Shocker, right? Well my food taste is maturing a lot here. Especially since there isn’t kraft dinner and chicken fingers to rely on. I’m eating like a grown up now! But that doesn’t mean that you can’t send me pop tarts and kraft dinner. (Y’know, for Simone of course.)

The festival part of the weekend, which was the majority of it, was very cool, especially since I’ve never been to a music festival before. I didn’t know any of the bands, but they must have been pretty big because Simone and her friend were really excited, and kept asking me to take pictures of them with people, and I couldn’t tell if these people were from bands, or if they just wanted pictures with random people, but I’m gonna guess the former.

Over all the weekend was really fun, and I got my first big dose of Danish culture, and just how crazy these people can be. The whole weekend was just like one big party, and by Sunday night I was so happy to crawl into bed and fall asleep to peace and quiet instead of music and talking.

This past sunday, the 12th, was a Rotary dinner for my district, and we all brought something from our home countries. My host mom and I made fluffy canadian pancakes, which was fun. I haven’t had real pancakes since I got here! It was a really fun day and I got to meet some of my oldies. (Aussies and Kiwis who arrived January 2010).

Other than that not too much is up. My Danish still sucks, but I start classes next week, so hopefully soon I’ll be pro ; P

Hope everyone is doing well!

Hej hej!

Andrea

My host dad, me, Simone, and my host mom : )

Oh, and ps. here's the links to my pictures. You don't have to be my friend to see them : )

6 comments:

So, so, so, sorry your first experience with the wildlife I describe was a disappointment to what I had described! I loved playing with the sheep :) best part of my visit there apart from the Heather Honey. Have you had any yet? So good, I think I might cry. So glad you're having fun there! By any chance, were either of these bands at the festival you went to? Volbeat or Nephew. I LURV them :)

Haha Ammie it's okay, I'll find another sheep to play with. I'm not leaving this country until I've petted a sheep. ; P And no, I haven't had any Heather Honey, what is it? I'm not sure, but I can check the program and see who played.

Nicole next time you're in Denmark you should go! It's actually really cute, but go in the summer when it's tourist season so that everything is open. I'll look at the program and let you know who played.

Julia, you'll get one. Just wait. I don't care how long it takes but I'm not leaving Denmark until I've hugged/petted a sheep.

I became so jealous about being close to sheep and the big underwater tunnel. lol.It looks beautiful there, it seems like you're having a great time. Hopefully any homesickness will wear off, you seem well inserted into the Danish lifestyle!xx naomi

Omg, your trip to Bornholm is like my 8th grade trip all over again! Minus the whole festival part of course ;) But yeah, after a festival the best thing ever is being able to fall asleep without hearing drumbeats and whatnot in the background :P

Are Canadian pancakes like American pancakes? Because we had the most delicious pancakes ever at my school, when the cross country team ate breakfast with the principal! I looooved them <3

Love you girl, and I'm so excited for you to start your Danish classes! Hopefully things will start to make more sense soon ;) Btw, have you gotten my email!?